Geranium plant named Hope

ABSTRACT

This invention is a new and distinct cultivar of a zonal  geranium  ( Pelargonium×hortorum ) named ‘Hope’ the cultivar has a large dark purple blossom and darker green foliage with a medium dark zone on a stable, full, well branched plant.

DESCRIPTION

Botanical designation: Pelargonium×hortorum.

Variety denomination: ‘Hope’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar was developed from a controlled breeding program conductedat the J. P. Bartlett Company. The company used a non-patented cultivardesignated ‘Beky’ (#97088) as the male parent and a non-patentedcultivar designated #96033 as the female parent in a cultivated area tocreate a single plant ‘Hope’. ‘Hope's’ plant habit is symmetrical withexcellent basal branching. The new cultivar ‘Hope’ differs from its maleparent in color shade being darker and vibrant. The new cultivar ‘Hope’differs from its female parent in number of petals being more than itsparent. The new cultivar ‘Hope’ is close in color to Springfield Violet.Asexual propagation of the new cultivar by cuttings at the locationpreviously stated has shown that the unique features of this newgeranium are stable and that the plant reproduces true to type insuccessive generations of asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The plants growth habit is compact to medium in vigor. It is a fullplant that performs well in both a greenhouse and in a naturalenvironment such as a garden. It will grow more compact under drierconditions but has the ability to be a larger and more vigorous plantwith sufficient water and partial shade. The blossoms are tolerant torain, not turning brown and rotting after a day or so of straight rain.Hope buds very early and is consistent with a fuller and rounder lastingblossom than many other cultivars known to inventor.

On average, the plant itself can get to over 210 millimeters tall, notincluding the stem or flower. The free branching nature of Hope allowsthe plants girth to grow and flourish. The width of a single plant ismeasured to be 291 millimeters and growing. The vibrancy of blossomcolor and strong green leaf color separates itself from any other knownto inventor. The double blossom is a dark purple. ‘Hope's’ stem is adistinguished medium green, while the leaf produces a medium darkerzoning. ‘Hope's’ standout performance is regarded highly due to itsexcellent growth habit, size, blossom and leaf. The new cultivar of thepresent invention is being marketed under the BARTLETT'S trademark.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

Accompanying this application is a photographed picture of the plant andits' aspects.

1. FIG. 1 shows the large, double blossom and the purple color describedin the summary.

2. FIG. 2 enables us to see the darker green leaf with the medium greenzone.

3. FIG. 3 shows the overall plant. This is a single plant from a cuttingin a four-inch pot. The height, width, and growth habit are clearly seenhere.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following observations and measurements describe asexualreproductions of ‘Hope’ grown in greenhouses located in Sudbury, Mass.,USA. The plant history was taken on 3 month old plants grown in 7.5″pots, blossomed under natural light in a greenhouse and color readingswere taken in the greenhouse in Sudbury, Mass. under ambient light.Color references are primarily to the Pantone Color Selector Chart1000/coated 1995. The color values were determined on May 11, 2004 undernatural light conditions of 200 foot-candles.

-   Classification:    -   -   Botanical.—Pelargonium×hortorum cv. ‘Hope’.-   Inflorescence:-   A. Umbel:    -   -   Flowering duration.—The flowers last approximately 13 to 18            days under standard greenhouse conditions and then dehisce.        -   Average diameter.—Approximately 8.7 to 9.3 cm.        -   Average depth.—Approximately 7.5 to 8.2 cm.        -   Peduncle length.—Approximately 1.6 to 2.4 cm.        -   Peduncle diameter.—Approximately 0.4 to 0.5 cm.        -   Pedicel length.—Approximately 2.5 to 3 cm.        -   Number of umbels per plant.—When grown in a 7.5″ pot at 8            weeks after the sticking of a rooted cutting, there commonly            is approximately 5 to 7 umbels per plant. The umbels form            approximately 6 to 10 cm above the foliage.        -   Number of florets/umbel.—When grown in a 7.5″ pot at 8            weeks, approximately 29 to 34 florets per umbel commonly are            formed.        -   Flower depth.—Approximately 6.5 to 7.5 cm.-   B. Corolla:    -   -   Buds.—Elliptical to round in configuration, initially light            green and changing to dark purple at the time of opening,            and approximately 11 to 14 mm. in length and approximately 6            to 8 mm. in width.        -   Pedicels.—Commonly approximately 4 to 5.5 cm in length and            straight which commonly causes a full round blossom when all            buds open.        -   Average diameter.—Approximately 6 to 7 cm.        -   Form.—Commonly double with at least three petaloids.        -   Petals.—Spatulate shaped, satiny and smooth. Commonly            approximately 15 to 17 petals are present per floret. Petal            base is V-shaped with a semi-circular margin. Petal length            is approximately 1.5 cm and the diameter is approximately            0.7 cm. Upper petal surface is smooth opposed to lower petal            surface being slightly rougher.        -   Number of petaloids.—Commonly forms approximately 3 to 4            petaloids per floret. The petaloids are exactly the same as            the petals excepting their diameter are approximately 0.4            cm.        -   Color.—General tonality surface from a distance of three            meters: Dark Purple.        -   Color of upper petals.—Pantone 2405C.        -   Color of lower petals.—Pantone 240C.        -   Markings of upper petals.—None.        -   Sepals.—7 to 10 sepals per floret with a length of            approximately 0.3 to 0.7 cm and width of 0.04 to 0.08 cm.            The overall shape is elliptical with a V-shaped base and            margin and semi-circular apex. Upper and lower surface are            the same texture and color. Smooth, non-glossy with both            Pantone 367C.-   C. Reproductive organs:    -   -   Androecium.—5 fertile anthers, with whitish filaments,            orange pollen the lower side of the mature (open) anther.            The surface of the anther under the pollen is black.        -   Gynoecium.—5 lobed purple stigma, Pantone 2425C, greenish            style, Pantone 377C; one pistil, Pantone 367C per flower.        -   Fertility/seed set.—Commonly does not produce fruits in the            absence of mechanical fertilization.        -   Spring flowering response period.—Approximately 5 to 8 weeks            from rooted cuttings under standard greenhouse conditions.        -   Outdoor flower production.—Freely flowering under outdoor            growing conditions with substantially continuous blooming.        -   Durability.—Ships well.        -   Pest/disease resistance/susceptibility.—No susceptibility to            pests or diseases noted to date. Disease resistance has not            been tested to date.-   Plant:-   A. Foliage: Medium Dark green with medium dark zonation. Zoning    color is Pantone 350C. The leaves are pubescent on the upper    surface, and smooth on the lower surface.    -   -   Length.—2.25 to 2.75 cm.        -   Width.—2.75 to 3.25 cm.        -   Form.—Reniform, with a cordate base.        -   Margin.—Irregularly crenate.        -   Ribs and veins.—Palmate 2.25 to 2.75 cm. long.        -   Leaf color.—Upper side is Pantone 364C. Under side is            Pantone 371C. Leaf upper surface covered predominately with            trichome Pantone 364C and leaf surface is predominately            smooth.        -   Petioles.—Commonly approximately 5 to 7 cm long with a            diameter of 0.04 cm to 0.08 cm.        -   Petiole color.—Pantone 367C.-   A. General appearance and form:    -   -   Internode length.—Commonly varies from approximately 0.9 to            1.1 cm.        -   Branching pattern.—Freely basal branching as well as lateral            branching. No pinching is required to obtain self-branching.            A self-branching growth habit is observed in the absence of            a growth regulator.        -   Height.—Approximately 22 to 24 cm. above a 7.5″ pot at 8            weeks under standard greenhouse conditions.

1. A new and distinct variety of geranium plant herein illustrated anddescribed.